walker



(ModeL) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. W. WALKER.

SEWING MACHINE.

Patented Dem '7, 1886.

N PETERS Pimla-Lnhn n iw. wmhzn im B. C.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(Model.

W. WALKER. SEWING MACHINE.

No. 353,720. Patented Dec. 7, 1886.

Wtwsa.

'lnvent r (2 6, fliaaam/ N PETERS. Phmb-Llthn n hur. Wa'shmglumUJC.

4 R E K L A W W SEWING MACHINE.

Patented Dec. 7, 1886.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(ModeL) .W. WALKER.

SEWING MACHINE.

No. 353,720. Patented Dec. '7, 1886.

Illllllllllllllls' 6.5-, mtMhh-n/ wt N PETERS. PhMo-blhogrnphnr,Washington, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM WALKER, OF LUTON, COUNTY OF BEDFORD, ENGLAND.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,720, dated December7, 1886.

Application filed May 11, 1886. Serial No. 201,810.

(ModeL) Patented in England June 24, 1885, No. 7,694, and in FranceApril li, 1886, No. 115,417.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM WALKER, a subject of Her Majesty the Queenof Great Britain, residing at Luton, in the county of Bedford, England,haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, (for whichI have obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain, No. 7,694, bearing dateJune 24, 1885, and Letters Patent in the Republic of France on April 14,1886, No. 175,477,) of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of thisspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for sewing straw plaitand suitable for the manufacture of straw hats and bonnets.

My invention consists in the employment of two needlesa barbed needleoperating verticallyor obliquely, arranged above the workplate, and aneyepointed needle arranged obliquely below the work platethe saidneedles being arranged to operate at an angle to each other and incombination with a looper or other suitable device. The under needle, orthat beneath the work-plate, is of the ordinary sewing-machine type andcarries the cotton. The said needle pierces the work obliquely or at anangle thereto, carrying the thread through the work. The upper needle(or that above the work-plate) may operate either vertically orobliquely, and is provided with a barb which takes the loop of threadbrought up by the under needle and carries the said loop through thework as the said upper needle descends. The looper or other device takesthe loop from the upper needle, and the feedmovement carries the saidloop over the point of the under needle at its return movement, and thusa succession of chain or loop stitches is formed,showing a long stitch(from a quarter to a half inch long) on the under side of the materialand a very short stitch on the upper side. By thus locating theeye-pointed needle carrying the thread on the under side, 5 the work canbe passed right side up under the pressenfoot and a very limited amountof thread be run through the perforations made,

and the operator is enabled to see the sewing produced on the upper orright-side surface of the material and easily control its course.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved machine.Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of the same. Figs. 3, 4,

5, 6, and 7 illustrate the means for adjusting the upper needle when thesaid needle operates vertically. Fig. Sis a view of the can disk whichoperates the lower needle. Fig. 9

is an elevation of the stop-tension device. Figs. 10 to 13 are diagramsillustrating the method of forming the stitch. Fig. 14 shows the barbedneedle on an enlarged scale.

Like letters indicate like parts in all the u res.

A is the framing and base of the machine.

B is the driving-wheel. Ois the main or driving shaft. D is the shaftfrom which the upper needle-bar is operated, and E is the shaft fromwhich the lower needle-bar is operated.

The upper needle, a, is carried by the bar I), and the said bar isfitted so as to work freely 7o in a dovetail-slot in the plate a. Thesaid plate c,with the needle-bar and needle,are supported over thework-plate d by the bracket A of the frame of the machine. The needleand its bar have a reciprocating motion vertically or at right angles tothe work, as shown in Fig. 3; or they may operate in a slightly-obliqueposition, as shown in Fig. 2, the point of the needle being directedtoward the operator. In both cases the needle and bar are provided withmeans whereby the needle can be adjusted so as to vary the point atwhich it shall enter the work,and consequently (as hereinafterexplained) the length of the stitch on the face of the work.

Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 illustrate the means I employ for adjusting theneedle a when it operates vertically. Fig. 3 is a front end View of thebracket A, with plate 0 and needlebar I) and means for adjustment. Fig.4 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 5 is aview of the face of thebracket A, and Fig. 6 an edge view of the same. Fig. 7 is aview of theback of the plate c,in which the needle-bar 1) works.

The back of the plate 0 is formed with a horizontal rib, c, which fitsand slides freely in a horizontal groove, A in the face of the bracketA. In about the center of the said groove A is a slot, A, and near theouter end of the said grooveA is a pin or stud, A (See Figs. and 6.) Therib c on the plate 0 bemeans of a screw, A.

ing inserted into the groove A (as in Fig. 4,) the said plate is clampedto the bracket A by The outer edge of the back of the plate 0 is formedwith a recess, 0, to receive the stem of the shouldered adjusting-screw'0 the threaded portion of which screw screws into a hole, 0, in thebody of the plate a. The stem of the screw 0 has a circumferentialgroove, p in which groove,when the parts are fitted together, the pin Aon the bracket A works: Thus by loosening the screw A and turning thescrew 0 the plate 0 can be moved along the groove A in the bracket A,and the position of the needle'adjusted as desired. After the adjustmentthe clamping-screw A is again tightened up.

When the needle operates in a slightly-oblique position, as shown inFig. 2, I form on the back of the plate '0 a stud, 0", (see Fig. 1,)which fits into a socket, c, in the bracket A. Thestud c is tapped toreceive the screw 0, which,'when screwed up tightly against the washers0 holds the plate 0 firmly in position against'the face The stud 0 formsa pivot of the bracket A. for the plate 0, so that by loosening thescrew 0 the plate 0, and with it the needle-bar b and needle a, can beadjusted so as to vary the angle at which the needle shall operate, theextent of the movement of the plate cbeing limited by the shoulder orabutment A;

The requisite reciprocating motion is imparted to the needle a from therock-shaft D by means of the arm or lever e, securedon the forward endof the said rock-shaft and pivotally connected to one end of the linkf,which is pivotally connected at its other end to the needle-bar b. Therock-shaft D receives its motion from the main shaft 6 by means oftheeccentric g and eccentric-rod 9, connected to the arm orlever h, securedonthe rear end of the said rock-shaft.

Theneedle a, is formed with a barb, a, a short distance from its point,(as clearly shown in the enlarged view, Fig. 14,) the point of the saidbarb being in -the direction of the point of the needle. The object ofthis barb will be hereinafter explained.

The lower needle, i, which is of the ordinary sewing-machine type,andcarries the cotton, is carried by the needle-bar j, which is'fittedto work freely in'an oblique dovetail slot inthe standard k, secured tothe frame or base A of the machine. The needle 13 enters the work atabout an angle of forty-five degrees, and is so arranged that when through the work it crosses the path of the upper needle, a, the upperneedle, a, being so arranged as to pass close to the needle i when thetwo needles cross each other. The lower needle is operated by the arm orlever Z on the forward end of the rockshaft E, the said arm or leverbeing pivotally connected toa link, m, pivoted on the needlebar j.Motion is imparted to the rock-shaft .E from the main shaft 0 by meansof the arm or lever n and cam-disk o, the pin and frict-iom groove 0 ofthe said cam-disk.

It is necessary that the needles be so arranged that the upper needle,a, crosses the lower needle, i, when the latter is above the work,.andenters theloop of thread formed by the lower needle, and carries itthrough the work at a point in advance of that at which the work waspierced, and the loop brought up through the work by the under needle.The distance between the point at which thelo'wer needle enters the workand that at which the upper needle enters the work is the length of thestitch on the upper surface of the said work.

I employ a looper or other suitable device,

to operate in combination with the needles a and '5, for the purpose oftaking the loop from the needle a when below the work-plate and (inconjunction with the feed-movement) passing the said loop over the pointof the needle '03. The looperp (shown in the drawings) is carriedby thevibrating arm or lever q, mounted on the rock-shaft r, motion beingimparted to the said shaft by the arm or lever s on the inner end of thesaid shaft, connected tothe eccentric t on the driving-shaft O. Thepoint of the looper p is formed with a recess, 10', in which recess thepoint of the needle z'lies when the looper is at the end of its forwardstroke,

and thus thepassage of a loop ot'.'thread from the looperp over thepoint of the needle i is facilitated. Other suitable devices may be usedinstead of the looper p. Thusa sliding bar or rod might be employed, thesaid bar or rod workingin a horizontal line and having asuitably-pointed end for taking the loop from needle a and conveying itto needle t.

In 'the feeding arrangement shown in'the drawingsgthe serrated feed-baru is carried by a stem, u, which slides in a vertical groove in thehorizontal bar 21. 'This bar a is hinged to the rocking arm w, which ispivoted at w.

.The' stem u of the serrated feed-bar is bent.

under the bare and provided with a screw, u, setting in the under sideof the bar 1;, by means of which screw the height of the serratedfeedbar u can be adjusted. The eccentric x on the end of thedriving-shaft 0 works in a horizontal groove, 12', in theforward end ofthe bar v,

IIS

and gives the rising and falling motions to the feed-bar. The strap 3 iscarried on a rocking arm, y, pivoted at-y, and the said strap fits overan eccentric, 3 on the driving-shaft C. To the inner side of the strap 3is pivoted a bar, 1 which on its other end carries a pin, yflwhich worksin a cam-slot, w, in the rocking arm 10. The pin is provided with anysuitable device whereby it may be clamped in any desired position in theslot w The revolution of the eccentric y within the strap y rocks the,arm :1/ and imparts, through the bar y", the backward and forwardmovement of the feed, the extent of the movement being regulated byraising or loweringthe pin y (on the end of the: bar 31) inthe cam-slotw, The

eccentrics x and may be cast in one piece with the boss y, by which theycan conveniently be secured on the shaft 0.

To insure that the needle a shall properly Y take the loop of cottonbrought up by the under needle, i, tension is put on the cotton from thetime when the under needle is at its top stroke until the loop hasentered the barb a on the upper needle. For this purpose I use thestop-tension device shown in Fig. 9. The cotton is passed through thetension-disks 1, and thence through suitable guides to the under needle,2'. The tension-disks 1 are mounted on a suitable rod, 2, secured to thebase of the machine, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. A short spiral springand regulating-nut are arranged above the upper tension-disk. Thebell-crank lever 3 is'pivoted to the frame of the machine, and its end 4is slotted or forked so as to receive the standard 2, this slotted endof the bell-crank lever being under the lower tension-disk. The otherend of the said lever carries a friction-roller, 5.

The spring 6 on the standard 2 normally keeps the end 4 of the leverpressed against the lower tension-disk, and also keeps thefrictiou-roller 5 in contact with the cam 7 on the main shaft 0. Thiscam 7 causes the end 4 of the lever to depress the spring 6, exceptduring the passage of the friction-roller 5 over the flat side 8 of thesaid cam, when the spring 6, being released from the pressure of thelever, forces the end 4 of the lever against the tension-disks 1 withsufficient power to stop the passage of the cotton through the saidtensiondisks. The earn 7 is so arranged on the shaft as to put on thetension and stop the passage I of the cotton from the completion of theupward stroke of the needle 13 until the needle a has entered the loopand received the cotton into its barb a.

Any other suitable feeding mechanism which will give a regular oruniform feed to the work and any other suitable stop-tensiondevice'niay, however, be employed with my improved machine instead ofthe feeding mechanism and stop-tension device hereinbefore described. Ialso wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the means abovedescribed for operating the needles and their bars, or the looper, asany other suitable means may be employed which will give the requiredmovements to the said needles and bars and looper.

The operation of my improved machine is as follows: The under needle, i,carrying the cotton, passes up through the work, and the upper needle,a, is timed to descend and enter the loop of cotton thrown out by thereturn movement of the under needle, 6, as shown in Fig. 10. Thismovement of the needle z causes the cotton to be drawn round the upperneedle, a, so that the barb a of the said needle takes the cotton andcarries it through the work, as shown in Fig. 11, the cotton beinggripped between the tension-disks 1, while the barb a is taking the loopof thread. The looper p is timed to take the loop at the'return movementof the'upper needle, a, as shown in Fig. 12, and carry the said loopforward close to the under needle, 71, the point of the said needlelying in the recess 1) at the point of the hook, as shown in Fig. 2. Thefeed movement, which takes place when the upper needle has cleared thework, carries the loop to the end of the looper p and over the point ofthe under needle, i, as shown in Fig. 13. The said needle moves forwardthrough the loop, and the operations before described are repeated, thusforming a succession of loop or chain stitches.

The stitch formed is a short double thread on the top of the work,varying in length according to the adjustment of the upper needle, (1,and its bar I), and a long single and treble thread on the under side ofthe work, varying in length according to the adjustment of thefeed-movement.

Having now particularly described the nature of my said invention and inwhat manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claimis-- 1. In a machine for sewing straw plait, the combination of thebarbed needle (1, arranged above the work-plate and provided with meansof adjustment to vary the point at which it shall pierce the work,whereby it may be operated at various angles to the work, the eyepointedneedle t below the work-plate, and the looper p, with mechanism forgiving a regular and uniform feed to the work, the said needles a and iand looper being arranged and operating substantially in the mannerherein set forth.

2. In a machine for sewing straw plait, the needle-bar carrying thebarbed needle a, arranged to operate vertically or obliquely above thework-plate, and means for adjusting the same with the eye-pointed needle6 below the work-plate, and alooper, combined, arranged, and operatingsubstantially as herein set forth.

WILLIAM WALKER. [L. s.] l/Vitnesses:

WM. MOLELLAN, SIDNEY CLARKE HooK.

